


be in the heart

by orphan_account



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tears are glistening Rhett’s eyes, threatening to fall over his cheeks. He blinks quickly, forcing them to go away. To save themselves for later. Link wants to comfort Rhett, wants to reach out and hold him, talk him through whatever is bothering him. But he doesn’t. He waits, patient. Resigned.“I love you, man,” Rhett finally avows, voice breaking. Hoarse from the built up emotion.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 1
Kudos: 41





	be in the heart

“We did it.”

“Finally did it, man. Prouda you,” Link says softly, smiling as he looks up at Rhett with sparkles in his eyes. Rhett grins right back, the apples of his cheeks protruding as he does so. There’s a hint of a pink blush coloring his cheekbone and his twinkling eyes blink slowly, eyelashes fluttering delicately.

“Proud of you, too, Link…” Rhett replies, soft-spoken and sincere. Link smiles because he knows how hard it is for Rhett to give and receive compliments. He knows how much therapy has helped him open up, to be in the heart, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s trying for Link, for himself, for the fans.

They’re back at Link’s home, standing in his dimly lit kitchen. Leaning against cabinets dressed in their suits from the hour prior at the Streamys award show. A glass of water in each of their hands.

Link takes a sip of his, peering at Rhett over the rim of his glass. He lowers his drink and raises an eyebrow at his best friend, who has a sudden look of uneasiness tracing his features. Furrowed eyebrows and teeth worrying his bottom lip.

“You okay?” Link asks, filling with concern. He sets his glass on the counter with a quiet thud and takes a step towards Rhett, resting a hand on the blondes’ forearm. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing, just… Nothing. Happy.”

Unconvinced, Link narrows his eyes, but removes his hand from Rhett’s arm and settles back into his spot against the cabinet. He knows better than to impel Rhett to talk about his feelings. They stand in comfortable albeit tense silence, the sounds of each other breathing soothing the mood.

“Link, I…”

“Listen, man…”

They both huff out a laugh, Link scratching the back of his head. An anxious tendency he has picked up over the years. “You go first.”

Rhett inhales shakily, shifting on his feet before crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He stands up straighter, facing directly towards Link with a perfervid gaze. “After tonight… After we accepted that award together… It made me realize something.”

Rhett pauses to take another deep breath and Link notices his hands beginning to tremble. Curious, the smaller man hums with a slight nod of his head, encouraging Rhett to continue.

“I don’t know why it took me so long. It feels long overdue. Almost hopeless because it’s just…”

Tears are glistening Rhett’s eyes, threatening to fall over his cheeks. He blinks quickly, forcing them to go away. To save themselves for later. Link wants to comfort Rhett, wants to reach out and hold him, talk him through whatever is bothering him. But he doesn’t. He waits, patient. Resigned.

“I love you, man,” Rhett finally avows, voice breaking. Hoarse from the built up emotion.

And Link laughs, because he already knows this. Why would Rhett confess an already known thing? He opens his mouth to reply, but is stopped by Rhett who is shaking his head. “I know what you’re thinking, Link, and it’s not like that. I _love_ you.”

The smile on Link’s features quickly fade, morphs into a bemused little frown. He knits his eyebrows together, cocking his head to the side. “What?” he asks, incredulous. His eyes are wide behind his black frames. His mouth agape.

“You heard me,” Rhett replies, snappy in tone. He stiffens, mentally reminds himself to mention his misbehavior to his therapist, and lets out a dismayed sigh. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap, bu–”

“Rhett, you sayin’ you’re in love with me?” Link nearly shouts, tone nothing but fretful, and Rhett remains impassive, calm, because it’s like Link to be short-tempered. He attempts to ease Link by stepping forward, reaching towards him, but freezes when his friend utters a stern, “No. Don’t touch me.”

“Link…”

“Now, Rhett? Really?”

“I know, Link, but let me–”

“Explain?” Link ridicules, shaking his head with a sarcastic laugh. Rhett is at a loss for words as he watches the man in front of him dismiss him. His feelings; what he had been holding in for years and finally had the courage to admit. He wants to cry, to let those tears from earlier stain his cheeks, but he stays strong.

“Why are you so mad?” Rhett questions, voice shot as he fidgets with a loose string near the bottom of his button down shirt.

“We’re forty, Rhett. Forty fucking years old,” Link curses, surprising them both, but too distracted to say anything. “We can’t play these games anymore. Why now?”

“You know I’ve been going to therapy, brother, and–”

“Don’t call me that,” Link derides, and Rhett wants to roll his eyes, but he holds back. “Okay. Therapy, what about it?”

“We’ve been discussing my feelings. Towards you. My therapist said I should tell you before it’s, uh. Too late,” Rhett explains, embarrassment tinging his cheeks. Link narrows his eyes.

“Well.”

“Yeah…” Rhett mumbles, and it feels like his frown is becoming permanent. “This isn’t a game, by the way. Don’t know why you would even say that.”

“Because, Rhett, we’re grown ass adults. This isn’t middle school, you can’t come over here, say you have a crush on me, and we start dating 5 seconds later. It doesn’t work like that,” Link blusters, scolding Rhett as if he has done something terribly wrong. Rhett is irritated now, and he takes a step towards Link.

“Don’t fucking act like you don’t feel the goddamn same,” Rhett cautions, pointing an accusatory finger. Link gasps, observing Rhett’s vexed features. Rhett grasps Link’s wrist and shuts his eyes, breathing harshly through his nose. He waits a few moments, crestfallen because of his lash out.

“Rhett?” Link whispers. The blonde opens his eyes and is met with Link’s tearful blue eyes staring up at him. They’re not okay, but something about Link’s ocean eyes calms Rhett ever so slightly.

“You do feel the same, don’t you?”

Link inhales deeply, counts to three in his head, and exhales tremulous with a nod. A motion so simple, yet full with so much passion. Rhett feels like one thousand rocks have been lifted from his chest.

“Tell me why you’re scared then, Link,” Rhett begs, grabbing his lover’s hand and intertwining their fingers.

“I’m not scared, just… We could’ve spent our whole lives being together,” Link finally admits, squeezing Rhett’s hand. “Feels like time wasted. Feels like we don’t have enough time left together now.”

Rhett suddenly heaves Link atop the counter, the smaller man emitting a surprised “ _gracious, Rhett_ ” once he’s perched on the surface. Rhett nudges Link’s knee with a hip and he spreads his thighs, allowing Rhett to step between them.

“There is no such thing as wasted time if it’s time spent with you,” Rhett assures, placing both hands on either of Link’s hips. He rests his forehead against Link’s and lets their noses brush against each other faintly. “We still have plenty of life to live, and I’m happy to be living it with you.”

With a promising squeeze to Link’s thigh, Rhett leans in and their lips meet. Their first kiss shared of a million more.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr, strawberryboyfriends !!!!


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